Waterproofed combat vehicle



. 11,' 1945. A. .1. SCAIFE WATERPROOFED COMBAT VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet -1Filed March 15, 1944 glywcwbgw ARTHUR 1: T 5EAIFE,

a mw [QM ventilating the radiator. ventio'n, this opening is covered butis used, nev- Patented Dec. 11, 1945- 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, withoritthe payment to meofany royalty thereon. I

I In military operations involving combat tanks, it is contemplatedthatthe tanks shall be used in fording streams and shall at times becomefully submerged. The object of this invention is -to-provide means forwaterproofing a tank, especially when it is to be fully submerged. Themajor problems occur in connection with the intake of air and-exhaustfrom the motor. I Many of the tanks now in use have a comparativelylarge intake opening at the topkfor According to the inertheless, forcirculating air through the radiator. "The cover isin the formof a box,and a duct system is built around the face of the radiator. A conduitextends upwardly from the duct system and is connected to the box by aseries of spaced ducts disposed outside of the body of I the vehicle andthus subjected to water cooling.

A circulating system is thus provided in conjunction with the usualradiator fan, and air is cooled in each circulation by the meansdescribed. Air is admitted into the vehicle in the first instance by aflexible tube extending therefrom and having its upper or intake endfloated upon the surface of the water."

The exhaust pressure, when the motor is running, is suflicient toovercome the pressure of thewater. However, in order to avoid back flowin the event the motor stalls, a check valve is provided on the outerendof the exhaust pipe. The valve is so designed that it will open underexhaust pressure against its weight and the pressure 01' the water. Toaccomplish this purpose, the outlet end of the exhaust pipe is disposedin an inclined plane and the valve has an overhead hinge axis so that itcloses by gravity when the exhaust pressure drops.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed in thefollowing description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a military vehicle equipped according tothe invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view;

I Figure 4 is a detail section of the exhaust valve, and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In Figure 1 is shown acombat tank I' of current design. The engine 2 ismounted in the rear, and behind the engine is a radiator 3. The

WATERPROOFED COMBATVEHICLE Arthur J. Scaife, Detroit, Mich. ApplicationMarch 15, 1944, Serial No. 526,623

(Cl. 180-1) Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) motor drives a fan 4 which throwsair against and through the radiator in a manner well known in the art.The top of the tank is ordinarily formed with an opening 5 disposedabove the motor and serving as the air intake. Normally,

the opening 5 remains exposed, and the air admitted therethrough andpassed through the radiator is discharged directly into the atmosphere.I

I The modifications made for the purpose of waterproofingth tank so thatit may be submerged will now be described. The exposed crevices arefirst sealed with a plastic material or rubber. A box In is built aroundthe opening 5 and is provided in its top'with a hinged lid II which iswater-tight when closed. The side wall structure of the tank extendsrearwardly' beyond theradiator by means of a wall member I2. A

duct I3 is;provided beneath the members I2 in l sealed relation theretoand communicating with the space there-between. At the rear end of theduct I3 is mounted a substantially vertical conduit I 4 communicatingwith the rear end of the duct along the widthof the tank and extendingupwardly beyond the top of the tank. The top of the conduit is fittedwith a cover I5 which forms a seal when closed.

The exposed upper forward wall of the conduit I 4 is in constantcommunication with the rear end of the box It by means of a series ofspaced conduits I 1 extending lengthwise of the tank. The sloping endwall I 8 of the tank extends from the duct I3 to the ducts l1 and joinsthe top IQ of the tank. The portions of the ducts I11 lying forward ofthe wall IB have their intervening spaces 20 sealed by the top l9, whilerearward of the wall I8 the spaces are not sealed and water is permittedto flow therethrough to the spaces I8 between the wall I8 and theconduit I4.

The lateral ends of the duct I3 are recessed or boxed inward to formexposed corner spaces 2| to accommodate the outlet ends of the exhaustpipes 22 extending from the motor 2. The exhaust pipes are extendedlaterally at 23 through the side walls 24 of the respective recesses andthen prolonged lengthwise at 25 in the recesses and outside of the ductI3. On each pipe section 25 is attached an elbow 26 having its outer end21 lying in a plane sloping upwardly and forwardly of the tank. To theupper portion of each elbow 26 is pivotally attached a yoke or hinge 28carrying a disk 29 adapted to seat upon the end 21.

From the forward portion of the top of the -in order to equalize thewater pressure on both sides of the door 33. An'access panel I3 is Vremovably held by latches l3 in the bottomoI theductl3. v,"

In the operation of the device under water, the air admitted through thetube 30 is driven by the fan 4 through the radiator 3 and into the ductI3 and the conduit [4. Fromhere it passes through the spaced conduits I1into the box 5 and :is recirculated by the fan. In passing through theconduits 117, the air is cooled by the water the spaces :20, so that itis made effective tor cooling the radiator 3 each time it is circulated.

The valve 229 normally closes the exhaust pipe by gravity and thusprevents water from back ing up into-the motor. The weight and effectivesurface of the valve are so determinedw ith respect to the exhaustpressure that the :latter willli-ft the valve when the motor isoperating. If the motor stalls, the valve will close the exhaust pipe.

When the tank is operating on land, the air tube 3fl may be readilydetached at its coupling 3% to the tank. The 'covers H and 1.5 are swungover to open "position by means of cables 3''! attached to theirfre-esedges. The valve 2-9 -is swung over upon the exhaust .pipe "andfastened thereto bya cord-'or wire, in open position.

While a specific "embodiment of the invention has been shown and beendescribed, it will be understood that various alterations may be madewithout departure from the spirit of the invention as indicated by theappendedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle having an air opening in its top, a motor beneath saidopening, a radiator adjacent to said motor, a fan driven by said motorand directed towards said radiator, an air duct over the face of saidradiator and having an outlet below the radiator, a conduit extendingupwardly from said outlet, a box mounted over and enclosing saidopening, and spaced ducts connecting said conduit to said box anddisposed outside of the vehicle.

2. Inavehiclehaving an air opening in its top,

a motor beneath said opening, a radiator adjacent to said motor, a fandriven by said motor and directed towards said radiator, an air ductover thejiace 'of said radiator and having an outlet below the radiator,a conduit extending upwardly from "said outlet, said conduithavlng anopen upper end .for "discharging gaseous media when not submerged, meansfor sealing said open upper end of said conduit, a box mounted over andenclosing said opening, said box having an air intake for receivingambient air when not submerged, a removable closure for-sealing saidintake, and spaced ducts connecting said conduit to said box anddisposed outside of the vehicle.

3. In a vehicle having an air opening in'its top, a motor beneath saidopening, a radiator adjacent to said motor, a fan driven by said motorand directed towards said radiator, an air duct extending beneath saidradiator, means forming a fluid connectionbetween said duct and the-faceof said radiator, a conduit extending upwardly from said duct, a boxmounted over and enclosing said opening, and spaced ducts connectingsaid conduit to said box and disposed outsideoi the vehicle. r g

